Transforming Indian cattle industry for building sustainable future

India is one of the 17 global mega-biodiversity hotspots and harbours a rich diversity of flora and fauna with more than 212 breeds of various livestock species registered at the national level. Livestock sector contributes immensely to the national GDP of India with appreciable annual growth in dairying sector. The cattle population in India is mainly concentrated in its northern and western regions. Raising cattle is deeply ingrained into the social, cultural, and traditional fabric of many communities in India. It forms an important source of livelihood for rural masses. India faces a twin challenge of sustainable management of its huge cattle inventory while improving the productivity of animals and profitability of farmers within the minimum possible time. It is coupled with other challenges in terms of the limited resource base and changing agro-climatic trends along with the ever-looming threat of climate change. The profitability of rearing cattle has increased gradually since independence mainly due to staunch efforts made during the White Revolution and subsequently its carry-over effect. The adult female cattle population of India has increased 1.67 times from 54.4 million in 1951 to 145.12 million in 2019. There is an utmost need for improvement of productivity of cows using modern genetic approaches coupled with improvement in different facets of breeding, feeding and healthcare management. Streamlining the marketing channels, expanding the market network, and establishing a suitable farmers’ co-operative system across the country for dairy products offer opportunities for improved income of the dairy farmers besides providing nutritional security to rural masses. The present policy paper attempts to traverse through the important milestones and programmes in the cattle sector that led India to the stage of self-sustenance, besides analyzing the current threats and challenges faced by the industry along with possible solutions